Like most girls from the Netherlands, Marsha Ariesen began playing field hockey at a young age. She took to the game with ease, playing at the highest level for her age group from six to 11. Entering her age 12 season, her young career hit a speed bump.
Ariesen was dropped down a level by her coaches because they thought she wasn’t as far along as her peers, and that immediately lit a fire under her.
From a lower level, she witnessed her friends continue to play at the level she used to be at.. The feeling of being lesser than her peers stuck with Ariesen and she put herself to work.
“All my friends went up and I stayed and it’s not a nice feeling to have your friends go up when you know you can do better, and if you train for it, be better than them,” Ariesen said. “Getting put back really sucked and at such a young age I realized I didn’t want that.”
Arieson dedicated her life to field hockey from that point on. Her work ethic paid off and she reached the pinnacle of Dutch field hockey just a few years later. Ariesen spent last year playing for HC Tilburg, a club at the highest level of competition in the Netherlands. Now, she is a key contributor at Temple and a big part of the program’s future.
The Netherlands boasts some of the best field hockey players in the world. The chance to play at the highest level gave Ariesen an immense amount of experience at a young age. She was tasked with competing with Olympians from the Netherlands and Belgium as a teenager and held her own against the best.
After proving herself in her home country, Ariesen went searching for a new challenge. She was drawn to college field hockey in the United States and Temple head coach Michelle Vittese had past recruiting ties in Ariesen’s home country. The pair forged a relationship and Vittese was able to reel Ariesen to Temple.
“Everyone was drawn to Marsha in the recruiting process,” Vittese said. “Syracuse, Penn State and UNC all had interest and she decided to come to Temple. It was a cool story for us to be able to get her. Her and I connected and I really liked her. What she wanted we could provide as a staff and the team could provide.”
Ariesen’s career suffered another setback when she suffered a concussion just before coming stateside. She recovered, but now has to wear sunglasses since her vision is still affected by the sunlight.
The minor setback did not affect Ariesen’s mindset heading into her new challenge. Once she stepped onto Howarth Field, it was evident she was a special talent and her glasses made her stand out even more.
Ariesen was tabbed a starter in her collegiate debut against Queens and made an immediate impact by scoring a goal. She found the back of the net next game against Lock Haven, getting off to a blistering start. She has cooled down since and hasn’t found the back of the net, but her drive to be the best has not waned.
“I started really really well and I still think I did well the last few games but it really hurts me I haven’t scored,” Ariesen said. “It sucks because I know I can do it and I just haven’t given that little one percent that I know I can give. That is something I can definitely work on.”
Ariesen’s transition to college field hockey has been easier than most thanks to her international experience. The skill level in the U.S. is a step down for Ariesen and she was already physically adjusted — something most international recruits struggle with.
“Marsha is a really good asset to this team, especially in the forward drive that she has,” said midfielder Tess Muller. “We are able to create so many opportunities and I really like playing with her. Of course, as a freshman, there’s a lot of things that are new and need to be learned, but all the freshmen are doing really well and Marsha’s not excluded from that.”
The first few games of Arieson’s career have showcased what she can bring to the table. Someone will have to fill Muller’s and back Alizé Maes’ shoes once they graduate, and Ariesen believes she can be that player, and maybe even better.
“I definitely hope to fill their shoes one day. Maybe not next year I would definitely like to follow in their shoes,” Ariesen said. “They’re good but I can always be better.”
Be the first to comment